JSP Staff

This resource challenges courts’ automatic reliance on bench warrants for missed appearances, demonstrating how this practice actually undermines court attendance while creating costly cycles of arrest, detention, and punishment for defendants who often lack resources to attend court. The resource presents evidence-based alternatives ranging from no-cost solutions like reducing required hearings, implementing virtual appearances, and creating flexible scheduling, to more comprehensive interventions like automated reminder systems, transportation assistance, and graduated response procedures that treat bench warrants as a last resort rather than the default response to missed court dates.